MERILLAT COMPLEX

STAFF DIRECTORY

SCHEDULE

05.21.08 - On May 17^th, Huntington University held its commencement ceremonies, marking the end of another school year for most of its students, but for eight Forester track and field athletes, one final test remains.  These individuals are heading to St. Louis, Missouri to compete in the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships to be held May 22-24, 2008.  The eight individuals met qualifying standards set by the NAIA in seven different events during the outdoor season. 

Joel Sanders, a senior Elementary Education major from Fort Wayne, Indiana (Snider High School), qualified for the fourth consecutive year in the men’s 800 meter run at the North Central College Invitational on May 9.  Sanders enters this year’s national competition as the 24^th seed with a time of 1:53.58.  He is looking to improve on his best finish of 16^th place, which he earned last spring.  He will again toe the line for the 800 meter trials on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Semifinals will be held Friday at 3:35 p.m. with the finals set for 4:40 p.m. on Saturday. 

Lucas Beach, a junior Bible and Religion and Physical Education double major from Lucerne, Indiana (Pioneer High School), met qualifying standards in the shot put with a season-best toss of 53-04.50 at the North Central College Invitational on May 9.  In his career, Beach has already earned two NAIA All-America honors in the shot put at the Indoor National Championships, and is hoping to make it to the podium in the outdoor event.  Beach, who is seeded 6^th in the event, is slated to throw on Friday at 1:00 p.m. 

Lauren Davenport, a junior Exercise Science major from Andrews, Indiana (Huntington North High School), will be making her debut in an individual event after qualifying last season to run a leg in both the women’s 4x400 and 4x800 relays.  This year Davenport will compete in the 400 meter hurdles.  She qualified with her time of 1:03.67 at the North Central College Invitational on May 9.  Davenport enters the trials on Thursday at 5:15 p.m. as the 10^th seed.  The semi-finals are on Friday at 5:15 p.m. and the finals are set for 3:50 p.m. on Saturday. 

Nick Johnson, a junior Exercise Science major from Huntington, Indiana (Huntington North High School), participated in the outdoor national event last season as a member of Huntington’s 4x800 relay.  This season at the Butler University Twilight, Johnson ran a 14:56.18 in the 5000 meter run, taking nearly 25 seconds off his previous best, to qualify in the event.  Johnson will first compete in the semifinals as the 18^th seed on Friday at 7:30 p.m. with the finals at 5:35 p.m. on Saturday. 

Dan Lindbloom, a junior Exercise Science major from Evergreen Park, Illinois (Chicago Christian High School) will repeat as a competitor in the 3000 meter steeplechase. He met qualifying standards and broke his own school record on April 5 at the Manchester College Invitational with his time of 9:21.68.  As the 9^th seed, Lindbloom is looking to put the experience he gained last year to good use and finish higher than his seed.  He will run in the steeplechase semifinals on Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m. with the finals scheduled for 2:20 p.m. on Saturday. 

Joseph Njeri, a junior Sociology major from Nairobi, Kenya, qualified for the second consecutive time in the 10,000 meter run with his time of 32:05.41 set at the Little State meet in Indianapolis on April 12.  With a year’s experience under his belt, Njeri will be working to improve on his 21^st place finish a year ago.  Njeri will step to the line for the final as the 31^st seed in the 10,000 on Thursday at 9:20 p.m. 

Luke Diehl, a sophomore Youth Ministries major from Bluffton, Indiana (Norwell High School), made his debut last year as a freshman running the lead leg of Huntington’s 4x800 relay.  This season, Diehl will join Lindbloom at the start for the 3000 meter steeplechase.  He qualified in the event by posting a time of 9:36.28 at the North Central College Invitational on May 9.  He enters the event as the 27^th seed. 

Bethany McGraw, a sophomore Exercise Science major from Perrysburg, Ohio (Toledo Christian HS), also got her first taste of outdoor track national competition last season as a freshman running the lead leg of Huntington’s 4x400 relay.  At this year’s Mid-Central Conference Championships on April 26, McGraw recorded a leap of 17-11.75 to meet qualifying standards in the long jump.  As the 24^th seed in the event, she will jump on Thursday evening at 5:30 p.m.